5 store apps that could save you money

Stores like Target, Walmart, Kmart, Costco and Sam's Club now offer apps to help you save at their stores. (Essdras M Suarez/Getty Images)

A while back, I was in the checkout line at Target when the cashier asked me if I had the store's app, Cartwheel, telling me I could save 20 percent on the diapers I was buying.

I didn't have the app, but she told me she could wait if I wanted to download it. So I reluctantly fumbled through my handbag, searching for my phone and attempted to download the app on the spot. This involved logging on to the store's Wi-Fi, finding the app on Google Play, and attempting to download it all while a line formed behind me and my two small children threatened mutiny.

But the Wi-Fi wasn't working and I couldn't download anything.

I told the clerk not to worry about it this time, but that I appreciated the tip and went on my way with the full-priced diapers.

When I got home, as an after thought, I downloaded the app and didn't open it until a few weeks later when I received an alert that I could get 40 percent off of winter boots through Cartwheel for that day only. Since both girls were in need of boots I high-tailed it to the store and saved $20.80 on two pairs of sparkly, pink and princess-laden boots.

Of course, Target isn't the only big box retailer offering customers a chance to save on the go. Here are a few to check out before you checkout:

Cartwheel originated as a Facebook page, which Target recently integrated into an app for easier use. Login via e-mail or Facebook and browse discounts ranging from five to 50 percent on hundreds of items. You can save up to 10 offers and simply flash the barcode on the app when you checkout (or you can print them out and take them to the store). The more you use the app, the more offers you can save.

And, save even more by using a Target REDcard or coupons. The app allows you to browse discounts by category or specially curated collections. Remember, though, if you login via Facebook, deals you save will be visible to Facebook friends also using the app – a good thing to keep in mind if your looking for discounts on, say, pregnancy tests. I'm not in the habit of checking the app regularly, so I like the e-mails alerting me to great steals.

The retail giant's shopping app is as jam-packed as its stores. To start, you can browse current online deals for home delivery or in-store pickup. (The app tells you if that item is available at nearby locations.) You can also instantly compare prices between buying online versus in-store. You can create an account or checkout as a guest. (No sharing on Facebook here!) Browsing deal items by category was a little tricky. A search for electronics turned up deals on photo cards, as well as women's jeggings and a 16-piece set of dinnerware. Filter deals by availability in stores, brand, price, customer rating, color and special offers. You can also find the closest store, view the weekly ad, track your online order and refill prescriptions.

Basically a mobile version of the retailers online store, with the app you can browse and search through millions of products available on Kmart.com or their sellers.

Like the Walmart app, you can look at user ratings and reviews, compare features and prices, and check availability on shipping or free in-store delivery. In addition, you can find and save coupons that can be used in the app or in stores, as well as search local ad offers and other special in-store savings.

The app might not have any special badges, but it's stocked full of features. Club members should appreciate the convenience of being able to refill prescriptions, upload photos for in-store printing, find the nearest store location with a gas station or purchase a personal in-home sauna all from their phone. You can shop by category, one of which curiously is “Funeral.” (That's right, you can buy caskets or urns from your phone.) You can also search online-only coupons or warehouse offers (just show the cashier the app to receive the discount), create a shopping list, read the latest issue of “The Costco Connection” and — if that wasn't enough – check out other club services like auto, mortgage and home financing. Membership, it seems, has plenty of benefits.

There are plenty of useful features on the Sam's Club mobile app, but the coolest is definitely Scan & Go. Just open the app while you're in the store and use your device to scan the barcodes of each item you want to purchase. When you're ready to checkout, follow the instructions on the app and head to the register for hassle-free shopping. In addition to speedier checkout, the app also allows users to shop for both online and in-store deals, find details about the nearest Sam's Club, order prescription refills and build a shopping list. For those who are easily overwhelmed by these super-sized stores, the app includes club maps. Forget your membership card? No worries, the app will store it for you.

The explosion of store apps certainly makes it easier to shop on the run, compare prices and track down more savings. While I'm not ready to throw out my coupon-cutting scissors just yet, but I'll certainly be scanning apps like these in stores to make sure I'm maximizing my savings.

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